Private DNS: create, modify, or delete your own nameservers

Private nameservers — also called private DNS or child nameservers — let your domains point to nameservers with your own name: ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com, instead of showing the provider's. It's pure professional branding and very common among hosting resellers.

Registering them isn't complicated, but there is one important technical detail worth understanding before you touch anything. Let's go piece by piece.

What they are and what they're for

A private nameserver is basically a name like ns1.yourdomain.com that you register and that points to an IP address (that of your DNS server). Technically, what gets created in the domain's registry is called a glue record: it ties that name to its IP at the TLD registry level, so the rest of the internet knows how to resolve it.

How to create a private DNS

Private nameservers are registered on the domain that gives them their name. That is, to have ns1.yourdomain.com you have to register it within the domain yourdomain.com. Step by step:

1. Log in to your client area

   Sign in to the Capa7 client area with your email and password.

2. Go to Domains → My Domains

   Expand the Domains menu and go to My Domains. Click the domain that will give the name (yourdomain.com) to manage it.

3. Open Private Nameservers

   In the left sidebar find Private Nameservers (or Register Nameservers) and open it.

4. Register the first one

   In the prefix field type ns1 (the system completes it as ns1.yourdomain.com), enter the matching IP, and press Register Nameserver (or Save).

5. Repeat with ns2

   Do the same with ns2 (and ns3, ns4 if you'll use more), each with its IP. Two is usually enough.

6. Use them on your domains

   Now you can go to any domain and, under Nameservers, set ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com as nameservers. (See our guide on how to change the DNS servers.)

How to modify a private DNS

Modifying a private nameserver almost always means changing its IP — for example, when you move your DNS server to a new machine.

• Return to the same screen

  Manage the domain that gives the name and open Private Nameservers.

• Edit the IP

  Select the nameserver you want to change (ns1, ns2…), type the new IP, and save with Modify.

• Keep propagation in mind

  Like any DNS change, the new IP takes a while to spread across the internet (from a few hours up to 24–48 h). If it's a server move, don't shut down the old one until it has propagated.

How to delete a private DNS

Deleting a private nameserver removes its glue record from the domain. Only do it when you're sure that no domain is still using it as a nameserver.

1. Check it's not in use

   Before deleting, verify that none of your domains has that ns set as a nameserver. If you delete it while a domain uses it, that domain is left without DNS and stops resolving.

2. Open Private Nameservers

   Manage the domain that gives the name and open the private nameservers section.

3. Delete the one you don't need

   Select the nameserver and use the Delete option. The glue record is removed from the domain's registry.

Frequently asked questions

The option doesn't appear in my client area?
Not all TLDs support private nameservers, and some registries require an extra step. If you don't see the section or you get an error when registering, message us: we'll check it and, if the TLD allows it, set it up for you.

Can I register the nameservers on one domain and use them on others?
Yes, that's exactly the idea. You register ns1/ns2 on your main domain and use them as nameservers on all the other domains you manage.

Which IP should I enter?
The one for the server that will resolve your domains' DNS (your DNS server or your hosting). If your service is with Capa7 and you don't know it, we'll provide it.

I changed the IP and the domains still point to the old one.
It's propagation: give it time (up to 24–48 h). That's why it's best to keep the previous server running during the transition and not shut it down abruptly.

Is this the same as changing a domain's nameservers?
No. Here you create the nameservers (with your brand and their IP). Setting them on a domain so it uses them is another step — we cover it in the guide on changing the DNS servers.

Capa7 Team

17 years managing hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers on our own infrastructure in Boca Raton, Florida. We write the way we'd like things explained to us: clear and no fluff.